The morning air was shattered by the sound of a distant horn. It was not the low, mournful blast of the Night's Watch or the sharp call of the Winterfell guards. This was a golden sound, bright and arrogant.
The King had arrived.
Link stood in the formation of guards lined up in the courtyard. Every man was dressed in his finest boiled leather and clean grey cloaks. Beside him, Desmond was sweating despite the cold, his eyes darting toward the main gate.
"They say the King's wheelhouse is as big as a house," Desmond whispered out of the corner of his mouth. "And that he brings a hundred knights with him."
"Silence in the ranks," Ser Rodrik snapped as he walked past, though even he looked tense.
Link kept his gaze fixed forward. He didn't need to guess what the caravan looked like. He had lived through the memory of this arrival in his previous life, and he had seen the descriptions in the books. But seeing it in person was different. The sheer scale of the royal party was a testament to the excess of King's Landing.
First came the knights of the Kingsguard, their white cloaks billowing like sails against the grey sky. Then came the golden banners of House Baratheon and the crimson of House Lannister.
At the center of it all was the massive, double-decked wheelhouse, a monstrosity of wood and gold that looked completely out of place in the rugged North.
Lord Eddard Stark stepped forward as the King dismounted. Link watched the two men. Robert Baratheon was no longer the warrior of the Trident. He was a man overtaken by his own appetites, red-faced and heavy-bellied. When he embraced Ned, it was a collision of two different worlds.
[Status: Alert]
[Anchor Point: Library Tower Day 5 - Active]
Link's eyes shifted away from the King. He was looking for the real threats.
He saw Jaime Lannister, the Kingslayer, removing his golden helm. The man's hair was like spun gold, and he looked at Winterfell with a smirk of pure disdain. Behind him was the Queen, Cersei, her face a mask of cold beauty.
And then there was the Imp. Tyrion Lannister waddled away from the group, his mismatched eyes already scanning the castle for the nearest library or brothel.
"Link," Hullen whispered from behind. "Stay sharp. We are assigned to the perimeter of the guest house tonight. The Lannister guards are prickly. Do not give them a reason to draw steel."
"Understood," Link replied.
As the royal party moved toward the Great Hall for the feast, the courtyard became a chaotic mess of squires, horses, and baggage. Link used the confusion to move toward the shadows of the First Keep.
He knew that the clock had truly started now. The King would stay for several days. During those days, the feast would happen, the hunt would take place, and Bran would climb the tower.
Link touched the hilt of his sword. He needed a new Anchor. The Library save was too far back now. He needed one that placed him exactly at the start of the Royal Visit.
He found a secluded spot near the stables where he could see the main yard. He closed his eyes.
Initiating New Anchor Point: Arrival of the King.
The sensation of the save was stronger this time, likely because of the high concentration of "Main Characters" nearby. The world rippled, and the Anchor locked.
I have one shot to get this right, Link thought. If I save Bran, I change everything. If I let him fall, I keep the war on track. But is there a third way?
He watched as Tyrion Lannister stopped to look at a large black hound near the kennels. The dwarf seemed to sense someone watching him. He turned his head and locked eyes with Link.
Tyrion raised a brow, a curious glint in his eyes, before turning back to the dog.
Link felt a cold sweat on his neck.
The Game had begun.
...
Author Note
Hi guys! Thank you for reading my fanfiction.
I wanted to let you know that I'll be releasing bonus chapters for Power Stones. Here are the goals:
15 Power Stones: 1 Bonus Chapters
30 Power Stones: 1 Bonus Chapters
50 Power Stones: 1 Bonus Chapters
75 Power Stones: 2 Bonus Chapters
100 Power Stones: 2 Bonus Chapters
Thanks for the support!